Girls need more than mirrors to know their own beauty

As noted on WebMD, “by the time most girls reach their teens, they’ve consumed years’ worth of messages about what a female body should look like.”

According to Renee Hobbs, EdD, associate professor of communications at Temple University, “the average teen girl gets about 180 minutes of media exposure daily ,” compare to “only about 10 minutes of parental interaction a day.”  For too many American girls, being “model thin” is a very real aspiration, and it starts at a shockingly young age.  In one recent study, researchers found that TV programs focused on appearance are swaying the self-esteem of girls as young as 5.  Read the entire article on WebMD, including what parents can do to help their daughters develop a healthy attitude about their own bodies.

Justine Amodeo, mother and CLP instructor offering the class Tapping the Body’s Wisdom, is doing everything she can as a parent to help her daughter explore and express her feelings in relation to her own beauty and media and society.  She recently shared the expressive art piece made by her daughter recording the feeling of “smallness” she felt in relation to her dolls.  She writes, “take a step forward towards being your own person.”

Image courtesy Justine Amodeo and  Ms. Magazine.

Using creativity to contemplate and examine visual culture, girls are able to break down the images solidified by the media of what a body is “supposed” to look like, and arrive at their own ideas of what is beautiful and healthy.  Doctors conclude that more than anything else, dialogue and critical thinking about what is healthy and truly beautiful can serve young girls more than any other activity.  The needs of her daughter to have a creative outlet to develop her own ideas about beauty and body image inspired Justine to develop Tapping the Body’s Wisdom, which combines ritual, writing, art, dance and music to bring out the true spirit of each child while examining the pressures they experience from their peers, the media, and society.  Click here for more information on Justine’s class, which happens every Saturday morning at 10am, for a suggested donation of $5-$10.

Images courtesy Center for Living Peace.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out.

Permalink: http://centerforlivingpeace.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/412

If You Build It, They Will Come…

…especially if it involves cupcakes and lemonade!  Our Grand Opening Weekend was a great success, thank you to all who came out and participated in the weekend of free events and demonstrated many ways to “live peace.”  Take a look:

Children and adults alike had the chance to work with artist Natasha Shoro at her Expressive Arts table in the Center’s world cafe area.

Families also enjoyed perusing the library in this space.

The lobby’s koi pond, made from a Burmese fire bowl, was the most popular of all the unique furnishings in the Center.

Acclaimed street muralist Melanie Stimmell worked throughout the weekend on the mural begun at our Grand Opening Party.  Melanie also led workshops in chalk art for all ages.

Melanie’s finished chalk mural will be permanently hung in the Center.

The first of all the free workshops of the weekend was led by Terry LePage of Open Door Communication.  This Nonviolent Communication class, focusing on how to communicate more effectively and compassionately with others, set the perfect tone for the weekend and beyond.

Craig Causon of The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and Julie Hudash of Team Kids teamed up to present a service inspired story and art activity in our South Wing.  Children made masterpieces from recycled and trashed materials.

Breaking ground in the Center’s North Wing, The Ecology Center guided families and kids in creating their own terrariums.

Richard Reoch, International Human Rights Advocate and former Media Chief of Nobel Prize Winning Amnesty International, led a discussion on Making Peace Possible followed by an introduction to meditation.

Girls danced, drew, and worked with the impermanence of sand as a medium in Justine Amodeo’s class, Tapping the Body’s Wisdom.

Smiling Monkey Yoga, a children’s program designed specifically for The Center for Living Peace by Patrice Simon and Amy McConnell, made a fun debut teaching yoga and breathing techniques using play and imagination.

The Orange County Museum of Art helped visitors harness the power of the sun to create whimsical solar portraits from collected objects.

Putting our mission into action and making good happen, volunteers from Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and Team Kids collected over 2 barrels of donations for the hungry.

It was a wonderful weekend had by all!  Missed out?  Visit our events calendar for ongoing programs and workshops.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out.